We get it. The leaves are still changing. It's barely the end of the Halloween season. And you're still savoring your beloved fall Starbucks drinks such as the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Christmas is nowhere near on your mind right now — but it should be. That's because November has arrived, and with it comes the most anticipated release of the season: Starbucks' holiday drinks. It goes with the season as well as Hallmark Christmas movies or decorating a Christmas tree.
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As of Nov. 2, we've seen the highly anticipated Starbucks drop hit every store in the nation. This year's roundup includes the return of some beloved classics (which we'll get to in a bit) as well as some new additions such as the Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte (yum).
Seasonal sippers are die-hard about which holiday drink should be considered the best. There's even an entire Subreddit dedicated to naming one beverage as the supreme ruler of the winter menu via poll. It was posted early in 2023; and with over 1,000 users voting, the results are in.
So, which festive cup of cheer should you be sipping on this holiday season? Taking the Reddit users' opinions into account, we tried every seasonal drink this year to provide the ultimate rating of what to try first. Don't forget, seasonal food is back too. This year, choose from the Cranberry Bliss Bar, Gingerbread Loaf, Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop, Snowman Cookie and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish. While they are all tasty, the Gingerbread Loaf and Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop are standouts.
Here's our definitive ranking of every 2023 Starbucks holiday drink:
6. Caramel Brulée Latte
Starbucks
Coming in last (but certainly not least) is the deliciously sweet Caramel Brûlèe Latte. Rich and toasty, this signature Starbucks beverage boasts notes of caramel, vanilla and yummy caramel brulèe bits for a warm and comforting sip. This is always a tasty choice, but the holiday drink menu is a competitive space, with more traditional flavors taking top spots.
5. New Oleato Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte
Starbucks
Here is one of this year's newest menu drops, the Oleato Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte. In addition to Starbucks Blonde Espresso and notes of gingerbread and steamed oat milk, this is infused with Partanna extra virgin olive oil. Topped with ginger and citrus flavors, the gingerbread flavors are subtle and lovely, and the olive oil addition isn't as strange as it sounds. This was actually quite tasty and we highly recommend giving it a try.
4. Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte
Starbucks
Coming in fourth is a latte that's as sweet as its baked-treat counterpart: the Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte. Between the cookie-flavored syrup and the festive red-and-green sprinkle topping, this beverage all but screams holiday cheer. Like many of the options on the menu, this is available hot, iced and as a Frappuccino blended beverage. But there's just something about the iced version that perfectly captures the cookie flavor. Plus, as much as we love a hot drink during the cold winter months, sometimes it's nice to change it up with something on ice.
3. Peppermint Mocha
Starbucks
No flavor is associated with the holidays quite as much as peppermint. So it's no wonder that Starbucks' classic Peppermint Mocha Latte is always a favorite. The blend of espresso, steamed milk and mocha sauce with peppermint syrup is a perfect balance of rich chocolate and cool peppermint flavors. In our opinion, this will always be a top 3 staple during the holiday season at Starbucks (and we hope it never goes away). Though available hot, iced and as a Frappuccino blended beverage, we think this is best served hot to really taste like Christmas in a cup.
2. New Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai
Starbucks
Another holiday classic that has a cult following is the Gingerbread Latte. As much as we love the original, this year's new Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte blends the cozy gingerbread and chai flavors into what we can only assume will become a new classic drink. Available iced or hot, this drink is perfectly creamy, somehow tastes like both Christmas and fall, and is one that we'll be going back to again and again this holiday season.
1. Chestnut Praline Latte
Starbucks
With a whopping 408 votes on Reddit, the Chestnut Praline Latte takes the crown as the most beloved holiday drink at Starbucks online and in our in-person trial. This creamy latte brings together flavors of caramelized chestnuts and spices for a decadent treat that will keep you coming back year after year.
Take a tip from one Redditor who says adding a few pumps of the Toasted White Mocha Syrup to your Chestnut Praline Latte takes it to a whole other level. We can attest that this addition takes an already flawless holiday drink to the next level.
